Why Had International Peace Failed by 1939 Flashcards
What were Hitler’s foreign policy aims?
- Abolish the Treaty of Versaillles
- Lebensraum
- Defeat Communism
Briefly describe the events that led to WWII in 1939
1933 - Hitler removes Germany from the League and begins to rearm
1934 - Tried to take over Austria, but prevented by Mussolini
1935 - Rearmament rally
1936 - Conscription; sent troops to Rhineland; alliance with Japan
1937 - Spanish Civil War; alliance with Mussolini
1938 - Anschluss, Sudetenland
1939 - Invade rest of Czechoslovakia, invasion of Poland - WAR.
What were the other factors that may have contributed to the failure of international peace?
- Economic Depression: countries looking out for themselves, isolationism, keeping solving problems as not as much as a priority
- Weakness of post-war treaties: ToV had sparked revenge in Germans
- Actions of Britain, France, USA and USSR: Wanted cooperation instead of justice
Describe German rearmament in 1933
- Thousands of unemployed drafted into the army to reduce unemployment.
- Began in secret
- Withdrew from the League like Japan did
- Openly staged a military rally celebrating armed forces
- It disobeyed the ToV, however as he guessed, nobody cared because other countries were also using arms for decrease unemployment
- Boosted Nazi support
- Gained sympathy from Britain
- 1932: 30 ships, 36 planes, 100,000 soldiers
- 1939: 95 ships, 8250 planes and 950,000 soldiers
Describe the Saar Plebiscite
Date: 1935
- League of Nations organized a vote for the people living the Saar, whether they wanted to return to Germany or not
- Initially, Hitler was wary, because many of his opponents had fled there
- However, the LoN was determined and got its way
- Hitler got 90% of the votes - huge success
Describe the re militarization of the Rhineland
Date: March 1936
- He moved in troops into the Rhineland
- Army had orders to retreat if met with French force: no match for the French
- League condemned him, but could do nothing
- France refused to act without British support
- Hitler’s risk payed off
Why was Hitler’s re-militarization timed well?
- France and USSR had signed a treaty to protect each other from an attack by Germany. Hitler used this to claim that Germany was under threat and should be able to place troops on their own frontier
- Hitler knew that British would sympathize and was confident they wouldn’t intervene
What was the importance of the Spanish Civil War to Hitler?
- Drew Italy closer to Germany: Italy was also involved in the war, therefore they would act together. This helped him because he was keen to draw Italy away from Britain and France. He was successful, because in 1937, the Rome-Berlin axis was formed.
- Germany’s air force, the Luftwaffe could be tested: Guernica bombing. Dress rehearsal for war. Between 170 and 300 dead.
Describe the events leading to Anschluss with Austria
- In February, Hitler forced Schuschnigg to appoint Seyss-Inquart, an Austrian Nazi, as minister of the government
- There were riots in Austria by Austrian Nazis
- Schuschnigg decided to hold a plebiscite
- Hitler demanded Seyss-Inquart to be chancellor
- Hitler ordered army to enter on 12th March
What are the arguments for appeasement?
- Fear of communism
- Memories of the Great War
- Not enough arms
- No USA
- Economic problems
What were the arguments against appeasement?
- Germany was not ready to fight a two front war
- Britain and France had to make a stand against Hitler
- Gave Hitler time to rearm
- Abandoning Czechoslovakia meant an important ally and strong army was lost - weakness
Describe the Sudetenland Crisis
Year: 1938
- Edvard Benes was worried that Hitler would come for Czechoslovakia next
- France and Britain promised they would come to their aid in case of an attack
- Hitler wanted to unite German speaking people - there were 3.5 million of them there
- Air-raid defenses and trenches were being dug: tension
- 15th September, Hitler wanted some parts of the Sudetenland
- 19th September, Hitler wanted all the Sudetenland
- 29th September: Munich Agreement, Hitler gets all of Sudetenland without consultation of Czechoslovakia
What were the consequences of the Munich agreement
- Hitler’s gamble paid off, Sudetenland for free
- No war
- Hungarians and Poles helped themselves to Czech territory
- Czechs betrayed
- Benes resigned, Czechoslovakia descended into chaos
Describe the invasion of Czechoslovakia
Year: 1939
On 15th March 1939, Hitler took over rest of Czechoslovakia.
- No resistance from the Czechs
- Britain and France did nothing
- Britain and France told him that if he invaded Poland they would declare war on Germany
What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
- Between Soviet Union and Germany
- Pledged not to attack for 10 years
- Gave Soviets sphere of influence in Eastern Europe
- Gave Soviets half of Poland
